Schwartz's deli in Montreal may sell to group including Céline Dion's husband, René Angelil

It is and will be business as usual at Schwartz’s. A deal is in the works to sell the landmark deli, but rumours circulating in the last few weeks have been flying like smoked meat sandwiches off the Schwartz’s counter

MONTREAL – It is and will be business as usual at Schwartz’s. A deal is in the works to sell the landmark deli, but rumours circulating in the last few weeks have been flying like smoked meat sandwiches off the Schwartz’s counter.

A sale is imminent, and while René Angelil and his wife Céline Dion have been reported to be the principal buyers of Schwartz’s, such is not exactly the case. Angelil, along with his cousin Paul Sara, with whom the former owned the Nickels chain of restaurants in the 1990s, are part of a larger group of investors. But the kingpin of the operation, according to several sources, is Paul Nakis, who is involved with the Bâton Rouge chain and the Sir Winston Churchill Pub, among other interests.

Nakis, or a few of the other purported investors, could not be reached for comment. A confidentiality agreement is cited as the reason.

The $10-million price tag for Schwartz’s, being bandied about, will neither be confirmed or denied by current Schwartz’s owner Hy Diamond, who is also bound by the same confidentiality agreement. Nor did he have any comment to make about the investors said to be involved in the partnership.

But Diamond did want to address one rumour that has been circulating. “Some actually reported that Schwartz’s was dissolved at the beginning of January,” Diamond said Sunday. “That is absolute nonsense. Schwartz’s is very much alive, as anyone who goes by will see.”

Nor was Diamond’s motive to sell Schwartz’s a quick profit. In fact, he has had health issues over the last year, and wanted to make sure the deli would remain in good, local hands.

Since taking over Schwartz’s in 1999, Diamond has been bombarded with offers to franchise, here and across the continent. In 2004, he had considered opening a Schwartz’s outlet on Crescent St. But after a huge outcry from locals as well as ex-pat Montrealers, Diamond decided there would be only one Schwartz’s, on the Main.

It is the hope of many that the new owners will also feel the same about opening up franchises here, as well as in other cities. Montreal pride, after all, is at stake.

The deli, founded by Reuben Schwartz, opened for business on Dec. 31, 1928, a few doors away from its present location. It was later owned by Maurice Zbriger and Armande Chartrand, before being bought by Diamond, who had been Schwartz’s accountant for many years.

According to the culinary experts, the key to Schwartz’s smoked-meat success is that no chemicals or preservatives are used in the curing of the beef. Nor does it hurt that the Schwartz’s smoke-house has 84 years of spices embedded in its walls – the “shmutz” factor – giving it its unique taste.

Its reputation has spread to the point that tourists and celebrities from around the world have flocked to the place. Even famed New York chef Anthony Bourdain, on a tour of this town’s finest eateries, had to end his stay here with a medium old-fashioned sandwich.

Schwartz’s has now become as much part of the Montreal landscape as, say, Céline or the cross atop Mount Royal. It has inspired a book, a film and, most recently, the hit Schwartz’s: The Musical at the Centaur Theatre.

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